Lightning (Thunder Sequel)

Chapter 5

I'm back again!! And I'm excited for this chapter because it's a bit different from what I've written up to this point.  This chapter is written in Ryan perspective! Hope you enjoy!!

---------------------------

Ryan's POV

*5 Years Ago*

"Did you understand our math homework?" Jake asks me as I sit down beside him on the bus.

"Not a single part of it," I reply to my classmate and friend. "I'll probably ask my dad to help me with it when he gets home. Or Andy if he stops by tonight."

"You're lucky you have family that will help you," he says.  "My mom never has time to help me do my work."

"At least you have a mom," I say.  "I don't even remember mine."

"Yeah, sorry about that..." Jake says before our conversation comes to an awkward close until we reach our stop.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Jake," I say before we walk our separate ways from the bus stop.

***

Why did they add letters into math?  Algebra is so pointless... And stupid... And confusing..."

After what seems like hours, but in reality is probably only fifteen or twenty minutes, the front door creaks open.  I look over to see that my brother has decided to come home today.

"Andy!" I greet before I notice the expression on his face.  He is obviously upset.  His eyes look as if he has been crying. 

He never cries.  Something is up.

"Is everything okay?"  I ask.  He doesn't answer me, but he walks over and sits down in a chair beside me.

Something is very wrong...

"Andrew, what's going on?"

He sighs sadly before saying, "Dad was in a car accident today."

"What?" I blurt, not expecting this news.  "Is he okay?  Is he in the hospital?  We need to go see him..."

"Ryan," Andy stops my panicked rambling.  "They said he was killed on impact...  Dad's dead."

"What?  No..."  I say in disbelief.  I search my brother's face for any sign of a lie, but I come up empty.  He is telling the truth.  Dad is gone—dead.

Not knowing what else to do, I hug Andy, something I've rarely done in the past and I can't recall doing since.  He is the only piece of this family that I have left now.

This technically makes me an orphan, doesn't it?  And Andy, too, although he is already living away from home...

"We are going to get through this, Ryan.  I'll take care of you."

*****

*A Few Months Later*

"No, you don't understand, I need this job!" Andy all but shouts into his phone. "We were left with virtually nothing and this job is currently the only thing paying for our food, the apartment, and the rest of my college tuition!"  After a few more attempts of trying to change the person on the other end of the phone's mind, Andy sighs and says, "I understand."  He ends the call, frustrated, and sits back down at the table where his supper has sat half-eaten for the past several minutes.  "Well, I guess I'm one of the people they had to let go of at work," Andy explains.

"Does that mean we are going to lose everything?" I ask.  It's been hard adjusting to a life with only my brother.  He has tried his hardest to keep studying for medical school while working to earn money to support us.